New Detroit Pistons guard Jose Calderon isn't expected to have his work visa cleared in time for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers, which brings his availability Monday against the New York Knicks into question, too.

Calderon has watched a shootaround, a game and a practice. He has taken notes and studied plays. He can fly on the team plane late Sunday afternoon.

But the Spaniard can't work with the team until his visa situation is resolved and with Sunday's game followed by a road game the next night, there is some question whether Calderon could play Monday against the Knicks.

The Pistons traditionally don't have a game-day shootaround for a back-end game but that's predicated upon playing the night before. Sunday's 1 p.m. tipoff could alter Monday's plan. It's akin to traveling after a practice, the night before a game, like any other single-game road trip.

I'm not worried about it. One thing I'm not looking forward to is a starting backcourt of Knight & Calderon. It's going to be too small to play defense against any other team. It really makes me wonder what our long term plans for the backcourt now.